Tag Archives: J. Crew

KKINI swimsuit and fashion designer, Michaela Cawley, knows a few things about how to stay stylish during the scorching summer months. Here are some must-have, poolside items you’ll find in her beach bag:

It’s that time of the year again — summertime in Arizona. Grueling, sun-filled days and long steamy nights. No guilt attached for orchestrating an impromptu happy hour with friends or co-workers to replenish after the days drudgery.

With this enduring season officially upon us, putting together a versatile, elegant work-to-play wardrobe can be a challenge. To save you frustration and time, we’ve listed three affordable, must-haves for your summer wardrobe, along with trendy examples of how to wear and accessorize each selection.

These easy-to-achieve looks will take you seamlessly from day to night, without breaking a sweat!

The Floral Blazer

Day

This piece will look great paired with just about anything. But for a polished, professional look, try a sleek black or grey pencil skirt (or even a pair of loose trouser shorts) matched with a flowing, brightly-colored tank. Finish the look with some strappy, nude sandals or peep-toe wedges.

Night

Ditch the blazer, and showcase your brilliant tank top. Add that “wow” factor by applying a vibrant lip (reds and pastels are very in this season). When it comes tospicing up your outfit, accessorizing is simple and very effective. A cute, sequined clutch or a chunky, turquoise necklace will do the trick.

Cropped Pastel Pants

Day

If you’re even remotely attuned to fashion trends, than you’re no stranger to the pastel cropped pants craze. There are several different variations of this pant (a trouser and a more casual approach), and either would work great for the office.

Pair the pant with a sleek, earthy-hued racerback. Throw on some comfortable, glossy flats, and add some loose, beach wave curls to top off the look.

Night

Bring this look to the next level by replacing your reliable flats with a pair of metallic espadrilles or bright, patent-leather slingbacks. Add a bold, delicate necklace and a shoulder bag to complete the outfit.

Bold Print Dress

Day

The luxury of a bold print dress is that you can find just about any shape or cut, making it incredibly easy to flatter any body type. Take this dress to work by adding a featherweight, short-sleeved cardigan. A pair of neutral booties adds polish and keeps the focus on the dress pattern.

Night

Retire the cardigan and throw your hair up into a messy, braided bun. Add a set of bold earrings (be sure they don’t conflict with the pattern or color of your dress) to seal the deal.

We may not be regular jet-setters or packing our bags for a vacation in Saint Tropez, but that doesn’t have to stop us from incorporating the effortless and inherently versatile flow of resort wear fashion into our everyday outfits.

Resort wear has come a long way since matching Hawaiian shirts for couples and rainbow hibiscus flowers scattering our vacation threads. Now seen across the globe on any given day, resort wear fashion doesn’t have to stereotypically represent sought after beach vacations.

Characterized as “nautical,” resort wear can also be called “cruisewear.” Designed with the affluent touch of sailing of the shores of Capri or jet setting to the Caribbean, this lively trend has graced the runways of New York, Paris and Milan inspired by the faraway coastal islands and exotic escapes of our dreams.

No longer just reserved for the sunny beach get-away, resort wear has held onto its easy maintenance requirements — which can partly explain why this trend is loved year-round. Typically designed for being stuffed away in suitcases, resort wear is by nature light, breathable, easy to packand clean with little to no ironing necessary.

For the ladies

Women’s resort wear fashion can range from playful loose skirts and tops, to full-length evening dresses with room to breathe — perfect for that hot, Arizona summer creeping up on us. Additionally, accessories are often brightly animated with large hats, sunglasses and open-toe heals or strappy sandals. To go along with this casual trend, loose hairstyles like messy curls are perfect for both day and night.

Men’s resort wear

Men’s resort wear fashion incorporates fun colored short and pants with boat shoes and a light dinner jacket for the evening. For a dose of St. Moritz style, light white trousers, a striped collard shirt and rubber-soled loafers complete a resort wear-inspired men’s outfit.

With unique looks designed for function, brands such as J. Crew, Banana Republic and Tommy Bahama have pioneered this bold trend. More recently, other leading designers such as Chanel, Michael Kors, Anna Sui, Prada and Oscar de la Renta have been hot on the pursuit of stylish resort wear fashion.